The “Concrete Building of the Year” competition, organized for the 25th time by the Estonian Concrete Association and the Estonian Building Materials Manufacturers Union, has received 12 nominations this year.
The jury has started its work. The winners of the “Concrete Building of the Year 2024” award will be revealed on Concrete Day, March 20.
In Nomine is assisting with the event organization.
In Nomine is delighted to announce that the festival of knowledge, skills, and experiences—Haridustreff 2025—will take place on August 14, 2025. The annual event for education professionals, held for the fourth time at Paide Vallimägi, will center around the theme: “Learning. Experiencing. Achieving Results.” The event offers a comprehensive perspective on the education journey, encompassing preschool, general education, and vocational training. The tradition of awarding scholarships will also continue.
The keynote speaker and one of the workshop facilitators for the fourth Haridustreff is Gunter Pauli, a Belgium-born educational innovator and lecturer. Pauli has developed a teaching method that integrates storytelling, scientific knowledge, and experiential learning. As a global visionary, entrepreneur, and creator of the Blue Economy model, Pauli has authored over 20 books and actively collaborates with universities worldwide as a lecturer.
Kristi Jõeorg, one of the event organizers, explains that every year, efforts are made to make the program more engaging, and this year’s keynote speaker is globally renowned. “We’ve also improved the content based on feedback from teachers over the past three years. In 2025, we plan to organize separate workshops and discussions alongside the main stage program. Different topics will be delivered through the main stage as well as hands-on workshops in tents. This helps direct information more precisely to the audience and also allows us to adapt to unpredictable weather. Although, last year, even rain couldn’t deter the teachers because education is important in all conditions,” says Kristi Jõeorg.
The scholarship tradition will continue, recognizing a Bold School and an Innovative Teacher. A bold school or preschool is an institution that makes and implements its own decisions. An innovative teacher is one who contributes to the development of their subject area and has adopted new teaching methods in the past three years.
The main sponsor of Haridustreff 2025 is LHV Bank, and the event is organized by Meaningful Talks.
At the 2024 Haridustreff in Paide Vallimägi, the Bold School Scholarship was awarded to Pärnu Ühisgümnaasium, as determined by the jury. The Innovative Teacher Scholarship went to Veronika Grigorjeva, a mathematics teacher from Tallinna Tõnismäe Riigigümnaasium. A total of 10 teachers and 18 schools applied for the scholarships, which were provided by the event’s main sponsor, LHV Bank. The third annual Haridustreff drew nearly 800 participants.
In Nomine announces that the new building for Tänavapuhastuse AS, a Tartu-based road maintenance company, was officially opened last week. The building spans over 2,000 square meters of net area and includes staff facilities, relaxation areas, repair and maintenance bays for road maintenance vehicles, a car wash, a sorting room for street sweepings, and storage areas for bulk materials. The construction cost was approximately €3 million, designed by architect Anders Jaano from Atect Projekt and built by Mapri Ehitus. The project manager was Olari Orm, and the site manager was Rasmus Jaagant.
The new building was completed at an impressive pace, precisely meeting the expectations of the Tartu road maintenance team. “The builder did an excellent job—the project was finished on time, and completing such a structure in 140 working days is almost miraculous. The team led by project manager Olari Orm and site manager Rasmus Jaagant was very professional! There’s also nothing negative to say about the quality of construction,” said Kink. He emphasized that the new facilities provide a significant morale boost for the street maintenance staff, making them happier and more motivated.
Tarmo Roos, CEO of Mapri Ehitus, noted that delivering the building within such a short timeframe was a significant challenge, but the experienced construction team handled it well. “We know that working in a new building is always much better than in an old one. We wish Tartu residents an even cleaner and greener city. Of course, the City of Good Thoughts is already tidy and lush during summer. This year, we are working on several projects in South Estonia, including residential developments near Raadi in the city’s outskirts, a cheese warehouse for Valio Eesti in Võru, and earlier this spring, we handed over an office building to Eesti Energia.”
The building features an innovative solution: a Cor-Ten facade. This material is a type of weathering steel slightly alloyed to form a patina layer that protects the surface from weather conditions. Initially reddish-brown and resembling rust, the patina darkens over time, creating a durable and unique appearance.
On Tuesday, 27th of August, Catrice Cosmetics presented its new Autumn/Winter 2024 collection. With the support of In Nomine and Kosmopar (LV), a gathering was organised at Levier Café in the Rotermann Quarter. The attendees of the event were journalists as well as beauty bloggers, make-up artists and influencers. The event was hosted by entertainer and singer Tuuli Rand and the application of the new collection was demonstrated by make-up artist Liis Vahter. See more in the gallery!
Photos by Erik Riikoja
Korraldasime sel kevadel mitu eriilmelist sündmust täiesti erinevatele inimestele – Aasta Betoonehitis, advokaadibüroo WIDEN (LEXTAL) nimepeo, Haapsalu Metali 30. sünnipäev.
In Nomine happily announces that Inchcape Motors has opened the first Ford dealership on Läike Road in Peetri, encompassing a showroom and after-sales service. Additionally, a showroom and service center will be opened in Tartu in the second quarter, and by 2025, a brand-new Ford dealership is expected in Tallinn, to be established in Laagri. Efforts are also underway to create a nationwide service network in Estonia.
The dealership will offer the ability to order and purchase all Ford passenger and commercial vehicles available in the region, as well as providing maintenance and repair services.
According to Sten Esna, Ford Business Manager at Inchcape Motors, the keyword for Ford this year is electricity. “By the end of the year, we will see the first electric Explorers on the streets, and we will be able to share information about the fully electric Puma. Ford is also expanding its electric vehicle fleet on the commercial side, with the fully electric Transit and Tourneo Custom, as well as the extended-range E-Transit arriving in Estonia. The PHEV and AWD versions of the Transit Connect are also expected to make waves. Ford continues to produce sporty commercial vehicles with the MS-RT special editions, and we offer the MS-RT package for the Ford Transit Custom.”
“Today, Ford’s passenger car lineup includes the Focus, Puma, Kuga, Explorer, Bronco, Mustang, and the fully electric Mustang Mach-E. We certainly cannot forget the Ranger, available in several trim levels and also in the Raptor version. On the commercial vehicle side, Ford’s range is extensive, which is certainly Ford’s strength. We have everything from the small Transit Courier van to various versions of the larger Transit, including chassis cabs,” Esna explained.
Currently, Ford’s market share for M1 passenger cars in Estonia is around 1%, and including commercial vehicle sales, it is slightly over 2%. Compared to neighboring countries and the rest of Europe, Sten Esna sees significant growth potential here. Inchcape Motors’ strategic goal is to be a strong partner, which is confirmed by its worldwide cooperation with more than 50 different vehicle brands.
In Nomine helped organize Concrete Day at KUMU on March 26, where the winners of the “Concrete Building of the Year 2023” competition were announced. The Concrete Building of the Year 2023 is a private residence on Purje Street in Pirita.
The main award for the competition, architecture, went to ÖÖ-ÖÖ Architects LLC: Ülo-Tarmo Stöör, Lembit-Kaur Stöör, and Silver Liiberg.
Additional Contributors:
Organizers of the Competition: Estonian Concrete Association and the Estonian Association of Construction Material Producers
Film Production: In Nomine LLC 2024
RVT Ehitus has completed the installation of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) loading arm, along with a hydraulic power unit, at the mooring quay in Lahepera Bay, Paldiski. The work, costing 600,000 euros, was commissioned by Elering, and the winning bid was made in collaboration with Mapri Ehitus.
Taavo Säärits, CEO of RVT Ehitus, mentioned that a suitable crane ship was required to submit a bid for the Elering tender. “Given that the 50-ton loading arm is significantly higher than sea level and required a crane ship capable of lifting at least 40 meters, the selection of cranes in our region is very limited. Fortunately, we were able to rent a crane with a lifting capacity of 330 tons from Poland,” Säärits explained.
The loading arm arrived in Estonia by road and was assembled on the quay at Paldiski North Port, to be hooked onto the crane ship and transported around the Pakri Peninsula to the installation position on the mooring quay. “We were lucky with the weather when the crane ship arrived; after one stormy day, we had a very calm and beautiful sunny day, which allowed us to complete the installation,” said Säärits.
According to Reigo Kebja, Member of the Management Board and Asset Manager of Elering, the collaboration on the loading arm installation went very smoothly. “I am very pleased that there were no significant obstacles, weather or technical, that could have disrupted the installation schedule. The partner was meticulously prepared for the installation and had considered all possible scenarios in advance, which certainly facilitated the success of the project,” Kebja said.
Säärits believes that the installation of the loading arm provides additional security for Estonia’s gas consumers, as the country has different options for gas supply. He also hopes that this will encourage manufacturing companies to plan and invest in Estonia, developing industries that require large-scale energy and providing jobs for builders, the technology sector, suppliers, and workers.
RVT Ehitus, which specializes in environmental and industrial construction, had a turnover of 7 million euros in 2023 and employs six specialists. Their completed projects include the reconstruction of the mechanical treatment stage at Tallinn’s wastewater treatment plant, construction work for Estonian Cell’s biogas plant and aerobic wastewater treatment plant, the expansion of Raumedic Estonia’s production building, and cleanroom installation work.
In Nomine’s long-term partner Viking Line had an exceptionally successful year in 2023. This was despite the uncertain geopolitical situation and its broad impact on energy prices, inflation, interest rates and currencies, travel habits, demand, consumption patterns, and costs.
According to Viking Line’s CEO and President Jan Hanses, 2023 was the best year since the company was listed on the stock exchange in 1995. The consolidated pre-tax profit for 2023 was 45.4 million euros. Passenger and cargo volumes remained stable, despite a smaller number of ships. At the same time, the planned sales revenue was achieved. In 2023, a total of 4.9 million passengers traveled on Viking Line ships, and demand at times even exceeded service capacity.
In Nomine assisted Elektrum with the opening of an electric vehicle charging station at Lõunakeskus, Tartu. The Elektrum Drive charging network plans to open more than 3,000 charging points by 2030, with nearly 1,000 of them in Estonia.
The total number of registered electric vehicles in Estonia is approaching 6,000, and Elektrum is preparing for a significant increase in the number of electric vehicles. Thus, a charging station was opened in Tallinn last November, and this year stations will be opened in Tartu and Narva. This year, nearly 100 charging points will be added to the Elektrum Drive network. By 2027, 500 charging points are planned to be established in Estonia, and by the end of the decade, nearly 1,000, while more than 3,000 charging points will be established in the Baltic States.
Andrus Liivand, a member of the management board of Elektrum Eesti, said: “The number of electric vehicles is growing rapidly and should reach a significant level this decade. This requires us to establish a comprehensive electric vehicle charging network, as well as new business models that offer various additional services alongside electromobility services. Forecasts indicate that by 2025 there could be nearly 17,000 electric vehicles in Estonia, and by 2030, at least 50,000. Along with electromobility, charging opportunities will also expand – by 2030, at least one public charging point will be needed for every 10–15 electric cars. Therefore, we are actively seeking partners among commercial property owners to find locations for innovative charging solutions.”
According to Raimond Tamm, Deputy Mayor of Tartu, the wider adoption of electric vehicles will have a positive impact on the daily living environment, as it will reduce air pollution and noise caused by car traffic. “In Tartu city’s strategic plans, we have considered a significant increase in the proportion of electric vehicles in city traffic. The more public charging opportunities there are, the more eagerly electric vehicles will be purchased. Previously, due to the private sector’s lack of interest, the city government has installed public fast chargers in the city center, but fortunately, growing demand has made providing charging services attractive enough for the private sector,” added Tamm.
According to Silver Hage, a member of the supervisory board and head of sustainability at Astri Group, promoting electric vehicle charging infrastructure is an important part of Astri Group’s green strategy. “The Elektrum Drive chargers installed at Tartu Lõunakeskus are a solid addition to Tartu’s charging infrastructure. Public charging points play an important role in both long-distance travel and the growth of the number of electric vehicles. In the short term, there are obstacles to charging near apartment buildings. Having chargers at shopping centers is essential, and our strategy includes installing chargers of various speeds near all main entrances of Lõunakeskus and other buildings in the commercial park. During charging, customers can eat, shop, and spend time at the center.”
